WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Hartford High boys basketball has yet to be defined.
At least that’s the message that first-year coach Jeff Thomas has echoed time and again this season.
During Monday afternoon’s practice, Thomas brought both the junior varsity and varsity teams together at the center circle. Both teams had just finished participating in a circle break drill, which works on the team’s ability to run in transition as well as settle into the offense to find a good shot.
“That right there is Hartford basketball,” he said. “We’re going to run. A lot.”
When Thomas took over for Steve Landon this past spring, he talked about changing the trajectory of the program. When he first met with his team, he barraged them with the facts: Hartford hasn’t won a state title since 1929 and the last postseason victory came in 2013.
Since then, he’s continued to harp on them. At the conclusion of Monday’s practice, he pointed toward the banner when talking with his team.
“It’s right over there,” Thomas said in a recent interview. “We look at it a lot. So just kind of embarrassing for us as a school and as a program to have it go that far back.
“They’re (Hartford) stuck with me. I’m not going anywhere. Not at my age.”
One of the ways Thomas hopes he can get the change underway is by making sure the players take pride in the program.
This fall, he renovated the locker room with the help of some of his students. They ripped out all the lockers and installed new ones while also adding a bench and storage space. A nice carpet of a basketball court also adorns the floor.
Thomas has his players attend junior varsity games along with various middle school and elementary school contests. He terms it being “big brothers.” Over time, Thomas believes that his varsity team being active members in the Hartford basketball community will make a difference.
His assistant coaches also have bought into his message. Bill Brown has been opening up the gym at 7 a.m. every morning for players to come in and work on their shots. Brown has coached multiple players through their routines in the morning sessions, things as basic as their nonshooting-hand placement.
Scott Brooks helps run the youth rec league at The Ottauquechee School on Saturday mornings and has spent plenty of time on the road scouting teams.
Junior varsity coach Timmy MacDonnell also has played a key role in making sure that players can make a seamless transition to varsity play. Tarin Prior and Brandon Potter have both made the jump up this season.
“I think it’s (culture) changed,” said starting point guard Alex Bushway. “We all have like a new fire, a new passion for basketball. And we’re all really enjoying it. He enjoys it, and we enjoy being around him.”
In the Canes’ locker room is a huge whiteboard. A question is written in the center of it: “What is Hartford basketball?”
Players have taken to writing their answers around it. In the bottom left corner of the board is the remaining schedule for this season. Thomas wants his team to finish 10-10, which would put the Canes in the middle of the playoff pack.
Hartford currently sit at 6-8 after Tuesday night’s 55-33 victory at Otter Valley. Thomas’ roster includes only one senior (Cameron Eldredge) and nine juniors. The stingy man-to-man defense the Canes have played have set them up for success in close games at Windsor (53-50) and Lake Region (65-61).
There’s room to improve, though. Thomas has harped to his team that when they host 13-0 Fair Haven on Friday night, they have to play a near-perfect game. If shots don’t fall, that’s OK. Unforced turnovers cannot happen, however.
“A lot of it is just playing hard,” he said. “And yeah, there’s some things you can’t control. Some nights, you can do the best you can. But sometimes they just have a little lid on the hoop.
“You can control the other things, though. And so that, to me, is Hartford basketball. You’re still not quitting on your teammates.”
Pete Nakos can be reached at pnakos@vnews.com.